Military flight misreads coordinates, heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	187738
Time
Date	199108
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ack
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : atlantic enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	187738
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the aircraft commander on an mlt en route from rota, spain to norfolk NAS, va. We were approaching the coast in fix slatn when we received a rerte from new york center. The evaluator pilot read the clearance back and loaded the new coordinates into the INS. By referencing the H-3 chart, I doublechked the coordinator via the chart also. We crossed slatn on course (verified by radial DME off ack) and we were called by new york about 10 mins later and notified that we were 60 mi south of course. I then rechked the coordinates in the INS and noted that we both had misread the coordinates off the chart. We both read 39N as 38N and were flying to 38N instead of 39N. The lighting was low and contributed to the error. In the future I plan to use the thunderstorm lights instead of the spot lights for reading coordinates off the charts. New york center seemed to be unconcerned by our error, no conflicts, I suppose. I sure learned a lesson.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FLT MISREADS COORDINATES, HDG DEV.

Narrative: I WAS THE ACFT COMMANDER ON AN MLT ENRTE FROM ROTA, SPAIN TO NORFOLK NAS, VA. WE WERE APCHING THE COAST IN FIX SLATN WHEN WE RECEIVED A RERTE FROM NEW YORK CENTER. THE EVALUATOR PLT READ THE CLRNC BACK AND LOADED THE NEW COORDINATES INTO THE INS. BY REFING THE H-3 CHART, I DOUBLECHKED THE COORDINATOR VIA THE CHART ALSO. WE CROSSED SLATN ON COURSE (VERIFIED BY RADIAL DME OFF ACK) AND WE WERE CALLED BY NEW YORK ABOUT 10 MINS LATER AND NOTIFIED THAT WE WERE 60 MI S OF COURSE. I THEN RECHKED THE COORDINATES IN THE INS AND NOTED THAT WE BOTH HAD MISREAD THE COORDINATES OFF THE CHART. WE BOTH READ 39N AS 38N AND WERE FLYING TO 38N INSTEAD OF 39N. THE LIGHTING WAS LOW AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERROR. IN THE FUTURE I PLAN TO USE THE TSTM LIGHTS INSTEAD OF THE SPOT LIGHTS FOR READING COORDINATES OFF THE CHARTS. NEW YORK CENTER SEEMED TO BE UNCONCERNED BY OUR ERROR, NO CONFLICTS, I SUPPOSE. I SURE LEARNED A LESSON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.